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News of Note

News of Note

THOMAS E. RICKS PAINTINGS

Three large-sized oil paintings depicting events from the life of Thomas E. Ricks, founder of Ricks College, are on permanent public display in the lobby of the Manwaring Center. The paintings, commissioned by the college, were donated by Sterling and Eleanor Ricks Colton. The Coltons are serving as president and matron of the Washington D.C. Temple. The artist is Glen S. Hopkinson of Mesa, Ariz., a noted LDS painter.

EXEMPLARY EMPLOYEES

Kelly Hymas (82), registrar at Ricks since 1997; Jo Lynn Hirschi Davis (70), bakery manager in Food Service; and Eva Bowen Sommer (75), secretary in Public Relations, were honored as Exemplary Employees in March. The college twice yearly honors employees who are exemplary in their service and conduct.

CONGRATULATIONS

A four-man combo from Wilson Brown’s jazz program won first place in the community college division at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Moscow, Idaho, in March.

The Ricks Forensics team won the regional championship for the seventh time in the last eight years, competing in St. George, Utah, in March.

A newly formed team of Ricks business students won the International Rookie of the Year award and placed among the Elite Eight finalists at the Students in Enterprise International Exposition and Career Opportunity Fair in Kansas City in May.

SHOWTIME COMPANY DISBANDED

The college’s longtime performance group Showtime Company presented its final show in April. "When Showtime was formed in 1979, it primarily had a public relations function that we tried to link to academics," says Max Checketts, assistant academic vice president. "(It will now be) an academic program with public relations as a secondary function."

Russell Bice, director of the group since 1985, has been reassigned to duties within the public relations department. Musical director Wilson Brown will continue with jazz studies in the music department. (See photos of Showtime Company reunion on page 9.)

COMPUTER MAGAZINE WRITERS

Ricks employees Thaine Robinson, director of Centralized Data Services, and communications analyst Terry Silva wrote an article entitled "Education Integration: AS/400 Goes Back to School" for the May 2000 issue of AS/400 . The publication is a national magazine for IBM computer users. For Silva the article is one of several he has written for the magazine since 1995.

ELDER MAXWELL AT GRADUATION

Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of Twelve presided over 3,012 graduates (a drop of just 27 from 1999) receiving 3,188 degrees at the college’s 111th commencement in late April. An additional 593 (down 39 from 1999) graduated at the end of the first Summer Term.

MORE STUDENTS DURING SUMMER

Enrollment records fell for all three Summer Terms and a newly added eight week Summer Term increased enrollment from last year by 868 students. The new term attracted 436 students. The third term was up 306 students with 2,898 enrolled. The first term was up 106 with 2,342 enrolled. The second term was up 20 students with 1,994 enrolled.

NEW ORATORIO SET FOR APRIL 2001

Noted LDS composer Daniel E. Gawthrop of Winchester, Va., has been commissioned to compose an original sacred work entitled "The Passion and the Promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ." In addition to performances in Idaho, the work will be presented by an orchestra and choir of Ricks College students in the Washington, D.C., area April 4-6. It will also be performed April 7 in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

SMITH BUILDING HAS NEW LOOK

The first phase of a major renovation project on the Joseph Fielding Smith Building was completed in mid-August. Adequate ventilation was provided to accomodate the number of computers in use in the building. Much of the renovation of the past summer was confined to the first floor with new ceilings and ductwork installed. The entire renovation project is expected to take several summers to complete.

NEW BUILDING TO RETAIN 'SPORI' NAME

A proposed building that will replace the historic Jacob Spori Building will retain the name of the first principal of Bannock Stake Academy, the forerunner of Ricks College. Although the design of the new building has not been finalized, the new building will reflect the "spirit of Ricks" and be a fitting tribute to the memory of Spori, according to college president David A. Bednar. The announcement was made September 27 in Rexburg at a meeting of donors and friends of the college.